The "flat as possible look" as compared to the "puckered as possible look"
 

Which do you prefer - and why?

And how do you achieve the look you prefer?

I prefer "flat as possible" - because I think it lays better on a bed and/or hangs better on a wall.
I also want to have a fairly good idea of what the finished size will be after it is completed. I know that quilting (especially dense quilting) will "shrink" the item somewhat, too. There is still some "puffiness" after the item has been quilted and washed a few times.

I achieve that by shrinking/washing all the components I can before cutting them.

I am not a fan of puffy. I too prefer flat for pretty much the same reasons as you do. I like the way it hangs and looks on the bed.

I however do not do much prewashing except for flannel which I have had shrink up to 3" to 4" WOF. I compensate for my choices by using a medium density quilting pattern when I quilt. So far I have been lucky, I guess, as so far I have not had issues with fabric dyes running or uneven shrinking after washing.

What batting do you use? Do you prewash it as well?

"Comfy" looking. Not flat as a board, a little puffy but not puckered.

I prefer an unpuckered look because the prints on the fabrics and the piecing design are clearer.

I like the look of a medium finish. I like to see the effects of the quilting and love the look of designs like feathers where the space between the stitching puffs up a bit. So I don't like it puckered up too much either because I find it hard to see the actual quilting lines.

Depending on the quilt is how I decide if I want flat or puffy. The quilt I am working right now I want a bit of puffy. It is a baby's quilt and so a little puffy is desirable. Wall hanging I want very flat so pre-wash and shrink as much as possible and then quilt closely. The quilts currently on my bed are very flat. Pre-wash W&N batting quilted closely. The primary one in my guest room is a bit more puffy. It has a poly bat still quilted very closely but has a bit of 'puff' to it. Now I have a hand quilted quilt with a poly bat that has a bit more puffiness to it as it is not quilted as tightly as some of the machine quilted ones. So what I am getting at is that it is all up to what you want as the final outcome of your quilt. I think of all these things too when I am making a quilt.

I think there is a difference between "puffy/fluffy" and "shrunk unevenly/waddy" looking.

the look i want depends on the quilt design.
sometimes flat is best.
others benefit from a bit of puff.

howze that for a wish-whashy-not-a-real-answer? lol

I prefer the flat look in my quilts. I always prewash and dry my fabrics. After I complete a quilt, I launder it, dry it in the dryer and then iron both sides to restore the flat look as much as possible. I also use an 80/20 blend batting. I don't quilt my quilts heavily, because I prefer the "cuddle factor" of a more loosely quilted quilt.

I wash all finished quilts in warm water and dry in hot dryer. I prewash my backing and dry my damp batting in the dryer. I use mostly pre cuts for the quilt top so don't pre wash those. I've never had someone say they wish the quilt was flat and smooth anyway. And for a gift I want the quilt to look the same when the person washes it for the first time.

I like mine to look the way they look coming out of the washer and dryer. Is that puckery? I use cotton batting and don’t prewash anything but flannel. I don’t have any allergies or sensitivities. I know any quilt I give away is going to need to be treated like regular laundry. No one i give to is going to do anything special. I wash them the way they would and the gift card says requires no special care and if you wear it out I will make another. I like that look myself. I can appreciate the talent it takes for dense quilting and I like to practice doing it but I don’t really like it on quilts that are meant to be snuggled in

I make my bed runners double sided, but without batt, don't need the warmth or weight. That said, even that quilting has some dimension which pleases me. Quilting stitches after all are all about the play of light on our work.

I use very thin batt, currently Hobbs Thermore, ultra thin, and it can be split in half from that. Less room taken when stored, and I like to layer quilts on the bed when cold, as opposed to one thick quilt. So I guess in my current incarnation my quilts are flatish. Which doesn't get into ironing seams open so you start flat in the first place :)

I don't think I fall into either camp. I don't want the distressed 30s look of the puckered as possible (and I don't believe that is what they really wanted either...), and I'm not a fan of a lot of close quilting. I prefer a puffier batt and less quilting than currently popular. So I guess what I want is full and soft :)

I think I'm with Tish05. I don't want a flat as pancake look but not a waddled up look either.

I like the puffier look. I only use high loft polyester batting. I have no problem quilting quilts with my 9" throat machine.
When I spread a quilt on my bed most of the puffiness smooths out.

For donation and give away quilts I use 80/20, W&N or project fleece and or polyester batting. I am finishing a give away quilt with high loft polyester batting for a Lady that lives in a cold part of U.S.A. and probably would like it to be warm.

I wash and dry all finished quilts. Once I give them away I don't worry about how they are taken care of.

Like every part of quilting we make it like we like it.

I prefer the "cuddle" quilt look. That's what most of my quilts are made for. I do charity quilting and want them cuddly. When I went into quilting after my husband passed and wanted something that gave me peace. My quilting does that. I have always been a competitive, driven person and I wanted no more of that in my life. I do appreciate the beautiful work that others do, it's just not what I want to do.